Lacing for shoes, &amp;c.



- 'IIATENTIED JAN. 31,1905.

-W.P.HALL.' I LAGING FOR SHOES,--&o.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19,1904.

UNIT D STATES Patented January 31, 1905.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS.

'LACING FOR SHOES, as.

SPECIFICATION forrning part of Letters To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL, of Sharon, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacings for Shoes, 860., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to lacings for shoes, corsets, &c., having tips or tags of flexible material, such as sheet metal.

The invention has for its object, first, to provide a cylindrical tip or tag which shall be reinforced or stiffened along the meeting edges of the blank or piece forming. the tip, so that the tip cannot be easily bent and flattened and will not be liable to spread at the joint formed by its meeting edges.

' The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a plan view of the blank employed in making a tip embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a plan view showing a flat lacing laid upon the blank and partially engaged therewith. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing a different embodiment of my invention. Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents'a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4:. Fig. 7 represents a side view of the completed tip and a portion of the lacing projecting therefrom. Fig. 8 represents an enlarged section on line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 represents a section similar to Fig. 8, but showing the construction represented by Figs. 3 and 4.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In the drawings, arepresents a flat lacing, and 6 represents a flexible blank, preferably of sheet metal, adapted to be formed into a tip 6, inclosing an end portion of the lacing. The

' blank 5' has one or more continuous or uninterrupted longitudinal edges 6 In Figs. 1 and 2 I show one of said continuous edges, the opposite edge of the blank being notched to form teeth I). In Figs. 3 and 4 I show two continuous edges. The blank is turned inmeans a longitudinal rib 5 Patent No. 781,282, dated January 31, 1905. Applicatien filed April 19, 1904. Serial' No. 203,919.

wardly along a line substantially parallel with the continuous edge or edges. to form one or more continuous flanges t3, bearing on an end portion of the lacing, sufiicient pressure being employed to cause the compression of the lacing between the flange or flanges b and the body of the blank.

When the blank is provided with a row of teeth 12*,

said teeth are turned inwardly and their points are caused to penetrate the lacing, as shown in Fig. 5. The blank thus engaged with the edge portions of the lacing is rolled into cylindrical tubular form, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, and is thus converted into a completed tip. The tubular portion of the tip incloses the corresponding portion of the lacing and the inwardly-turned parts engaged with the lacing.

The continuous flange or flanges 6 inclosed in the tubular tip and embedded in the inclosed portion of the lacing, imparts a very desirable degree of stiffness and rigidity to the tip, preventing the latter from being either bent or flattened. The said continuous flange imparts greater stiffness and rigidity to the tip than the series of teeth 6 because said teeth do not constitute a continuous flange, their continuity being interrupted by the interdental spaces or notches. My present invention is therefore distinguished from that shown in Letters Patent No. 733,837 granted to me July 14, 1903, by the said continuous flange or flanges. I find that the engagement of the tip with the lacing by two continuous flanges 5 as shown in Figs. 4: and 6, is very firm and prevents the tip from being stripped lengthwise from the lacing.

In Fig. 8' I show as an additional stiffening created by forming a fold or bend' in the central portion of the blank, said rib being at .the opposite side of the tip from the lacing-engaging parts.

1. A lacing, and a tip therefor composed of a flexible blank bearing on one side of an end portion of the lacing and bent therewith to form a hollow cylinder inclosing the said end portion, said blank having a continuous or uninterrupted longitudinal edge and being turned inwardly along a line substantially parallel with said edge to form an inwardly-projecting continuous stiflening and reinforcing flange adapted to prevent the bending, flattening, and opening of the tip, the edge of said flange being embedded in the inelosed portion of the lacing.

2. A lacing, and a tip therefor composed of aflexible blank bearing on one side of an end portion of the lacing and bent therewith to form a hollow cylinder embracing the portion of the lacing against which it bears, said blank being turned inwardly along two lines parallel with its opposite longitudinal edges to form reinforcing-flanges the edges of which are embedded in the inclosed portion of the lacing, one of said flanges being continuous or uninterrupted to prevent the bending, flattening, and opening of the tip.

3. A lacing, and a tip therefor composed of a flexible blank bearing on one side of an end portion of the lacing and bent therewith to form a hollow cylinder embracing the portion of the lacing against which it bears, the edge portions of said blank being engaged with the inclosed portion of the lacing, while the portion of the blank opposite said flanges is longitudinally corrugated to form a stiffening-rib. In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN HALL. Witnesses:

O. F. BROWN, E. BATOHELDER. 

